Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
  • B65D1/0223—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by shape
  • B65D1/0292—Foldable bottles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
  • B65D1/0223—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by shape
  • B65D1/0261—Bottom construction
  • B65D1/0284—Bottom construction having a discontinuous contact surface, e.g. discrete feet

Definitions

• the invention relates to a plastic collapsible bottle, on which bellows ridges are created, and with the help of these bellows ridges the bottle is collapsible in the vertical direction.
• the technical solution is intended for beverage PET bottles in particular.
• plastic collapsible bottles based on PET or similar plastics and known already from patent documentation which can be volumetrically reduced or even minimized by pressing it in the vertical direction after consummation of the contents.
• the bottle side walls which are shaped as accordion-like arranged bellows ridges in the case of collapsible bottles.
• Accordion-like arrangement is attained with the help of convex bellows ridges separated by furrows.
• the furrows between bellows ridges are oriented in the horizontal plane, therefore the collapsible part on the bottle is created as a system of alternating individual horizontal bellows ridges and furrows.
• the number of bellows ridges and the number of furrows can be easily calculated on each collapsible bottle because they are arranged one above the other in a stack.
• the CZ PV 2001-2668 according to WO 00/44630 describes no- return bottle with gradually collapsing design of side walls without a possibility of return to the original shape, where the side walls are of accordion-like construction comprising system of neighbouring folds.
• Each of these folds is created of two opposite surfaces of different width and at least the smaller of the two surfaces is in the shape of arc. If such shape would be considered in relation to character of such created bellows ridges rather than to the folds, the said condition of different width of the surfaces means that one half of each bellows ridge is of higher height or convexity than the second half. From this, the possibility of folding the bottle by light pressure is inferred.
• collapsible bottle has been described for instance in the EP 0 850 842 A1 patent application. It describes collapsible bottle composed of accordion-like bellows ridges, whose upper walls or lower walls are provided with at least one circumferential groove.
• the groove creates reinforcement increasing their resistance against unwanted deformation and facilitates intentional folding of the bottle.
• the all-circumferential stamped stiffening which is here to create a groove, results in impairment of dimensional symmetry between the upper and lower halves of the accordion-like bellows ridges of the bottle, which finally results in unwanted spontaneous deformations of bottles and impossibility of their filling with carbonated beverages.
• the WO 2005/061336 describes the possibility of additional solution to reduce the risk of unwanted deformations and to improve the required direction of folding with the help of specific corrugation of bellows ridges and with the help of various ridge embossed or stamped stiffenings creating projections or dimples on the bellows ridges.
• the possibility to provide the bottle with vertical stamped accordion-like stiffenings running on the bottle from top downwards across the whole collapsible part of the bottle, in addition to the horizontal bellows ridges is mentioned here.
• the collapsible bottle according to the invention contains at lest one collapsible part located anywhere between the bottleneck and the bottom of the bottle and consisting of a shaped side wall of the bottle, where convex collapsible bellows ridges arranged one above the other and separated by inter- ridge furrows are visible on the collapsible part of the bottle in the front view of the bottle, and where bellows ridges and furrows alternate in the front view, while these bellows ridges are created from two opposite surfaces.
• the essential and main idea of the invention is that at least one inter-ridge furrow in the shape of at least a section of a helix is created here as the separating furrow between the collapsible bellows ridges.
• the new solution of the collapsible bottle according to the invention is not limiting in any way the size of the bottle or the very overall shape of the bottle, which can be classic or conical or locally expanded or constricted, oblate etc.
• the new solution of the collapsible bottle according to the invention is not limiting intentionally either the angle of pitch of the inter-ridge furrow helix or whether the pitch is regular or irregular, because these options can be selected by the user in any way in the frame of feasibility, especially according to aesthetic intention.
• the bellows ridge size has fundamental influence on the bottle collapsibility, thus proper attention should be paid to it.
• the depth of collapsible bellows ridges taken as the distance of inter-ridge furrow to the line of the bellows ridge outer circumference, is preferably equal to 0.3 to 1.5times their height.
• the bellows ridge height taken in this way is easily measurable as the distance between two points of the furrow helix located one above the other. The measurement can easily be performed when drawing or imagining, for the purpose of the measurement, a vertical line drawn on the surface of the bottle, and measuring the distance between points of intersection of the line with neighbouring inter-ridge furrows.
• the bottle Preferably only one inter-ridge furrow is created on the bottle, of course in the frame of the considered collapsible part of the bottle.
• the furrow is in the shape of a helix or discontinuous helix, which arrangement will be explained in details hereinafter.
• basically only one bellows ridge is created on the bottle, which shape is possibly divided in sections as will be explained in details hereinafter and which could be said to wind round the bottle in the direction of the helix.
• this bottle will look as if its side wall is shaped into a system of individual aslope directed bellows ridges, alternating with inter-ridge furrows, and only after grasping the bottle and viewing it or in spatial view it is clear that in fact it is a single bellows ridge.
• the collapsible part can contain two or more inter-ridge furrows in the shape of helix or discontinuous helix, where these inter-ridge furrows together form multiple-start helix or discontinuous multiple-start helix. Then the whole collapsible part of the bottle comprises formed two helical bellows ridges in total in the case of two inter-ridge furrows. If there are more than two inter-ridge furrows, it has the same number of bellows ridges, as is the number of furrows.
• this bottle will look as if its side wall is shaped into a system of individual aslope directed bellows ridges, alternating with inter-ridge furrows, and it will differ from the previous variant only by higher pitch of furrows and bellows ridges.
• the collapsible part contains two or more inter-ridge furrows in the shape of helix or discontinuous helix, and these inter-ridge furrows intersect one another. They are preferably situated against each other, i.e. they are running symmetrically in opposite directions. In this way, very interesting bottle shaping is achieved, where dynamic shape is created, having increased number of bellows ridges that have variable height. After creation or determination of the abovementioned optimal depth of these bellows ridges, we measure bellows ridges in the place of their maximum height.
• Collapsible part is preferably equipped also with a system of stiffening shape depressions, which are on the collapsible part of the bottle in the number of two to eight and each of them creates on the collapsible part of the bottle a recess of bellows ridges, while each such shape depression runs through the collapsible part in one line downwards across all bellows ridges of the collapsible part in given line.
• Shape depressions can be relatively shallow, but they can be even so deep, that they cause interruption of inter-ridge furrows, which is already mentioned above. Creation of shape depressions on collapsible bottle is purposeful especially for bottles filled with carbonated beverages and for higher volume bottles or for bottles filled with high-density liquid, because these depressions are able to prevent very efficiently unwanted deformations of the full bottle.
• Shape depressions are preferably running on the collapsible part of the bottle in vertical direction. Use of direction corresponding to the gravity action is preferred, and this solution has also good aesthetic effect. Depth of shape depressions also preferably reaches the level of inter-ridge furrows. This is the case already mentioned above, where due to the fact that the shape depression reaches up to the level of inter-ridge furrows, discontinuation of these furrows takes place, and helical bellows ridges are interrupted as well.
• one of the opposite surfaces of bellows ridges, the upper and/or lower surface of all bellows ridges of one collapsible part can be preferably equipped with a system of reinforcing embossed and/or stamped stiffenings, which are creating a system of dimples and/or projections on bellows ridges.
• One of the opposite surfaces of all bellows ridges, the upper one or the lower one for all bellows ridges of one collapsible part, is preferably moderately corrugated. This ensures uniform folding of the bottle under pressing.
• the invention is utilizable for plastic bottles, beverage PET bottles in particular. It can significantly enlarge offer on the market and simultaneously it fulfills environmental goals. Besides achieving desired technical effect, coilapsibility of the bottle, it is also aesthetically very expressive solution. Presence of helix adds dynamics to the look of the bottle and it can be applied to various shape types and sizes of bottles, which is a great advantage on present market and under the demands of present-day customers.
• the technical solution of collapsible bottle according to the invention provides the user with the possibility of safe and easy accordion-like folding of the bottle to the minimum volume after use, while ensuring safety for the user as well as the manufacturer regarding the dimensional stability in the filled state.
• the invention allows filling of collapsible bottles with common liquids as well as carbonated beverages without resulting in undesirable warping of the structure of the bottle.
• Collapsible bottle according to the invention can, in case of wider distribution, significantly facilitate waste manipulation and separation as well as increase economic efficiency of recycling.
• Collapsible bottles will allow decrease of waste volume, which will result in increase of consumer comfort and increase of waste disposal efficiency, and it will support possibilities of collection and secondary processing of plastics. It can also lead to improvement of environment, because the limited capacity of trash bins and containers on exposed places such as fast food stalls, exhibition grounds, railway stations, etc., can be better utilized with the help of collapsible bottles and consumers will less pollute environment by discarding used bottles onto open grounds. Consequently, environmental benefit can be expected due to higher efficiency of waste removal and recycling, which could lead to decreasing occurrence of these materials in landfills.
• Fig. 1 shows the front view on simple collapsible bottle according to the invention with one inter-ridge furrow in the shape of a helix
• Fig. 2 shows the front view on collapsible bottle with two inter- ridge furrows situated as a double-start helix
• Fig. 3 shows the front view on collapsible bottle with two inter-ridge furrows situated as helixes running in opposite directions
• Fig. 4 shows the front view on collapsible bottle with one inter- ridge furrow and. three vertical shape depressions in the depth of furrows
• Fig. 5 shows the front view on collapsible bottle with one inter-ridge furrow and three aslope shape depressions
• Fig. 1 shows the front view on simple collapsible bottle according to the invention with one inter-ridge furrow in the shape of a helix
• Fig. 2 shows the front view on collapsible bottle with two inter- ridge furrows situated as a double-start helix
• FIG. 6 shows the front view on collapsible bottle with one inter-ridge furrow, three vertical shape depressions, and a system of reinforcing embossed and/or stamped stiffenings on the lower half of bellows ridges
• Fig. 7 shows the top view on collapsible bottle with one inter-ridge furrow in the shape of a helix
• Fig. 8 shows the top view on collapsible bottle with two inter- ridge furrows situated as a double-start helix
• Fig. 9 shows the top view on collapsible bottle with two inter-ridge furrows situated as helixes running in opposite directions
• Fig. 10 shows the top view on collapsible bottle with one inter- ridge furrow and three vertical shape depressions.
• Descriptive example of embodiment of the invention is the collapsible beverage PET bottle equipped with one inter-ridge furrow in the shape of a helix according to Figs. 1 and 7.
• This plastic collapsible bottle is collapsible in the vertical direction. It represents simple embodiment of the invention and clearly illustrates its essence. Collapsible part of the bottle starts just below the bottleneck and ends as far as at the bottom of the bottle so that basically the whole body of the bottle is collapsible. Collapsible part is created by shaped side walls of the bottle. On the bottle front view, convex bellows ridges ⁇ , arranged one above the other, and separated by inter-ridge furrows 2 are visible on the body of the bottle in the area of collapsible part. At the front view, illusory impression of accordion-like system is evoked, because alternating bellows ridges 1 and inter-ridge furrows 2 are visible.
• each bellows ridge 1 is created by two opposite surfaces "T, 1", upper and lower one.
• the slant of bellows ridges 1 and furrows 2, alternated in the front view, follows from the fact that in reality, only a single inter-ridge furrow 2 in the shape of helix is created in the whole collapsible part of the bottle.
• the essence of the technical solution according to the invention is closely related to the fact that if it would be the mere accordion-like bottle known from the present state, application of the slope is out of the question.
• this plastic collapsible bottle is collapsible in the vertical direction.
• a bottle is selected, where the collapsible part of the bottle also starts just below the bottleneck and ends as low as at the bottom of the bottle so that basically the whole body of the bottle is collapsible. Collapsible part is hence created by shaped side walls of the bottle.
• convex bellows ridges 1, arranged one above the other, and separated by inter-ridge furrows 2',2" are visible also on the body of this bottle.
• illusory impression of accordion-like system is evoked because of alternating bellows ridges 1 and inter-ridge furrows 2 ' . 2 " , which are, however, unlike. the existing accordion-like collapsible bottles, both aslope.
• Each bellows ridge 1 is created by two opposite surfaces 1 ' . 1". upper and lower one.
• the depth h of collapsible bellows ridges 1, taken as the distance of inter-ridge furrow 2 ' ,2" to the line of the bellows ridge 1 outer circumference, is for all bellows ridges 1 in the collapsible section, visible at the front view, in the frame of optimal range of 0.3 to 1.5times their height v.
• Upper opposite surfaces Y_ of all bellows ridges 1, considered at the front view on the bottle standing on support, are slightly arcuated, while the lower opposite surfaces Y ⁇ of all bellows ridges 1 of the collapsible part are corrugated.
• plastic collapsible beverage bottle with two inter-ridge furrows 2 ' ,2 " in the shape of helixes, which are running symmetrically in opposite directions, according to Figs. 3 and 9.
• the plastic bottle is collapsible in the vertical direction. Collapsible part of the bottle starts just below the bottleneck and ends as low as at the bottom of the bottle so that almost the whole body of the bottle is collapsible. Collapsible part is represented by shaped side walls of the bottle.
• convex bellows ridges 1 arranged one above the other and separated by inter- ridge furrows 2 ' ,2" are visible on the body of this bottle as well.
• Bellows ridges 1 visible in the front view are alternating with inter-ridge furrows 2 ' , 2 " .
• Each bellows ridge 1 is created, by two opposite surfaces V, 1", upper and lower one.
• Bellows ridges 1 and furrows 2 ' , 2 are alternating in the front view.
• the bellows ridges 1 have remarkable shape with variable height and they are fitted one into another in an interesting way, which follows from the fact that the collapsible part of the bottle is in reality equipped with altogether only two inter-ridge furrows 2 ' .2". both in the shape of a helix.
• These furrows 2 ' , 2 " are situated as helixes of identical shape running against each other in opposite directions, which results in their crossing.
• the depth h of collapsible bellows ridges i taken as the distance of inter-ridge furrow 2 ' , 2 " to the line of the bellows ridge 1 outer circumference, is for all bellows ridges 1 in the collapsible section visible at the front view on the bottle, in the frame of optimal range of 0.3 to 1.5times their height v.
• Upper opposite surfaces Y_ of all bellows ridges, considered at the front view on the bottle standing on support, are slightly arcuated, while the lower opposite surfaces 1_ ⁇ of all bellows ridges 1 of the collapsible part are corrugated.
• FIG. 1 Another example of embodiment of the " invention is the plastic collapsible beverage bottle with one discontinued inter-ridge furrow 2 according to Figs. 4 and 10.
• the bottle is collapsible when pressed in the vertical direction. Collapsible part starts below the bottleneck and ends near the bottom of the bottle. Collapsible part of the bottle is created by its shaped side walls.
• convex bellows ridges 1, arranged one above the other, and separated by inter-ridge furrows 2 are also visible on the collapsible part of the bottle.
• slanted bellows ridges 1 are alternating one above the other with inter-ridge furrows 2.
• Each bellows ridge 1 is created by two opposite surfaces HJ.”, upper and lower one.
• the bottle has one helically running furrow 2 that is however interrupted in places where reinforcing shape depressions 3 are located. These are on the illustrated exemplary bottle in the number of three, which is in the range of the optimal number of two to eight.
• Each shape depression 3 creates on the collapsible part of the bottle recesses 4 visible on all bellows ridges 1.
• For each shape depression 3 runs across the whole collapsible part of the bottle in one line, in this case in the straight line parallel with the bottle axis.
• the example visually demonstrates shape depressions 3, which are running on the collapsible part of the bottle in vertical direction.
• the depth h of collapsible bellows ridges 1, taken as the distance of inter-ridge furrow 2 to the line of the bellows ridge I outer circumference, is for all bellows ridges 1 in the collapsible section, visible not only at the front view, in the frame of optimal range of 0.3 to 1.5times their height v.
• Upper opposite surfaces Y_ of all bellows ridges 1, considered at the front view on the bottle standing on support, are slightly arcuated, while the lower opposite surfaces Y ⁇ of all bellows ridges i of the collapsible part are corrugated.
• FIG. 5 Another example of embodiment of the invention is the plastic collapsible beverage bottle with one inter-ridge furrow 2 and aslope shape depressions 3 according to Fig. 5.
• the bottle is collapsible when pressed in the vertical direction. Collapsible part is one; it starts below the bottleneck and ends in the lower area of the bottle. Collapsible part of the bottle is created by shaping its side wall.
• convex bellows ridges 1, arranged one above the other, and separated by inter- ridge furrows 2 are visible on the collapsible part.
• slanted bellows ridges 1 are alternating one above the other with inter-ridge furrows 2. However, actually it is only one furrow 2, which runs on the bottle in the shape of helix.
• Each bellows ridge 1 is created by two opposite surfaces "T, 1", upper and lower one.
• Helically made furrow 2 is not interrupted even in places where reinforcing shape depressions 3 are located. These are on the illustrated exemplary bottle in the number of three as well, in the range of the optimal number of two to eight.
• Each shape depression 3 creates on the collapsible part of the bottle recesses 4 visible on all bellows ridges ⁇ . For each depression runs across the whole collapsible part of the bottle in one line, in this case as the aslope straight line.
• the example visually demonstrates shape depressions 3, which are running on the collapsible part of the bottle in other than vertical direction.
• shape depressions 3 do not cause interruption of inter-ridge furrow 2 always in the place of their occurrence is given by the fact that the depth of these shape depressions 3 does not reach the level of inter-ridge furrow 2.
• shape depressions 3 are interrupting continuity of bellows ridge 1, so that this bottle, in contrast to the first two bottles described in this invention, could be considered as the one comprising real system of bellows ridges 1 rather than only one.
• division is incomplete and the integrity of the single furrow 2 helix still dominates. Therefore this system of bellows ridges 1 can also be considered as a single helically running bellows ridge 1_ dismembered in shape.
• the depth h of collapsible bellows ridges 1, taken as the distance of inter-ridge furrow 2 to the line of the bellows ridge 1 outer circumference, is for all bellows ridges 1 in the collapsible section, visible not only at the front view, in the frame of optimal range of 0.3 to 1.5times their height v.
• Upper opposite surfaces Y_ of all bellows ridges 1, considered at the front view on the bottle standing on support, are slightly arcuated, while the- lower opposite surfaces Yi of all bellows ridges 1 of the collapsible part are corrugated.
• FIG. 6 Another example of embodiment of the invention is the plastic collapsible beverage bottle with one inter-ridge furrow 2, shape depressions 3, and reinforcing embossed and/or stamped stiffenings 5 according to Figs. 6 and 10. ,
• the bottle is collapsible when pressed in the vertical direction.
• Collapsible part is one; it starts below the bottleneck and ends at the bottom of the bottle.
• Collapsible part of the bottle is created by shaping its side wall and the bottom.
• convex bellows ridges 1,, arranged one above the other, and separated by inter-ridge furrows 2 are visible on the collapsible part.
• slanted bellows ridges 1 are alternating one above the other with inter-ridge furrows 2. However, actually it is only one furrow 2, which runs on the bottle in the shape of helix.
• Each bellows ridge 1 is created by two opposite surfaces 1 ' ' , 1", upper and lower one.
• Helically made furrow 2 is not interrupted even in places where reinforcing shape depressions 3 are located. These are on the illustrated exemplary bottle in the number of three as well, in the range of the optimal number of two to eight.
• Each shape depression 3 creates on the collapsible part of the bottle recesses 4 visible on all bellows ridges 1
• Each shape depression 3 runs across the whole collapsible part of the bottle in one line, in this case as a vertical straight line.
• Shape depressions 3 do not cause interruption of inter-ridge furrow 2 in the place of their occurrence because their depth does not reach the level of inter-ridge furrow 2.
• shape depressions 3 are interrupting continuity of bellows ridge 1_, so that this bottle, in contrast to the first two bottles described in this invention, comprise real system of bellows ridges 1. rather than only one.
• the depth h of collapsible bellows ridges 1, taken as the distance of inter-ridge furrow 2 to the line of the bellows ridge 1 outer circumference, is for all bellows ridges 1 in the collapsible section, visible not only at the front view, in the frame of optimal range of 0.3 to 1.5times their height v.
• Upper opposite surfaces V_ of all bellows ridges 1, considered at the front view on the bottle standing on support, are slightly arcuated, while the lower opposite surfaces jT[ of all bellows ridges 1 of the collapsible part are corrugated.
• One of the opposite surfaces 1 M " of all bellows ridges I is equipped with a system of reinforcing embossed and/or stamped stiffenings 5, which are in this case for clarity identical on all bellows ridges 1 and create dimples on bellows ridges.
• the invention takes account of the fact that reinforcing embossed and/or stamped stiffenings 5 of various shapes can be contained on various bellows ridges X or they can be only on some of bellows ridges 1 and not on the other ones.
• One, none, or several reinforcing embossed and/or stamped stiffenings 5 can be present on one bellows ridge 1. Examples presented here should show and clarify the essence of the invention and should not limit in any way the extent of its feasibility. Individual conceptual features presented here can therefore be mutually combined in various ways.
• Bottle presented in this example is an illustration of the optimum solution according to the invention and it is suitable also for carbonated beverages.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)

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Cited By (10)

Citations (4)

• 2006
  • 2006-08-25 CZ CZ20060528A patent/CZ2006528A3/cs unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-08-16 WO PCT/CZ2007/000080 patent/WO2008022605A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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